


The line between fantasy and fiction.

by ThedragonsTreasure



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Asphyxiation, It's pretty dark, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-11 09:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20151544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThedragonsTreasure/pseuds/ThedragonsTreasure
Summary: Peter sees a nightmare about Mysterio and Tony tries to calm him down. It doesn't go so well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello beautiful people. It's been a while since I wrote anything. This was just something to... I don't know get me started I guess. I've told so many people that your writing doesn't have to be perfect and just doing something is the most important part. So I applied to same standards to myself and just wrote something. And tried not to criticize it too much. 
> 
> And if you want to know what Peters nightmare looks like just google movie: truth or dare. or don't, it's a little scary looking.

He was high up on a construction building. Peter had always loved the high tall buildings brought him: the feeling of freedom and.. well… it was hard to describe. Maybe it was something between ecstasy and pure joy. Maybe it was just the knowledge that even if he fell, he would still be alright. Or it could have been the view. There was something just magical about New York at 4 a.m. The way the sun was steadily rising, the way people were quietly getting to work or jogging. 

Peter felt the way the wind brushed against the mask. It was a little chilly sure but who was he to complain. Although it would be awesome. He was already imagining the conversation. “Oh, dear mister wind, would you blow ever so softer if you would please.” Peter thought in a fancy British accent. “Why of course Peter, it would be my honor,” answered the wind. Or maybe if the wind was feeling particularly moody, it would answer something akin to: “You shall not pass!” 

Peter touched the lake below him. Where was he? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it? The next moment Peter found himself leaning against a moist mattress. He didn’t like it do be honest. It felt…like he was sinking in it. The next moment he was on the building again. 

Pete turned around, trying to get a hold of his surroundings. Fury was there. Again. That’s where it clicked. This was the same building ground Beck had tricked him last time. But Beck was dead. Right? Right? But maybe it was just a trick. Maybe it was just one of his games. Like the one, he had played on Peter when he pretended to be on his side, to be his friend, to care about him. But then it had turned out that Beck was just another villain trying to take what didn’t belong to him and not caring who got injured in the process. He’d the king of the ashed as long as got to have the crown. But there he was staring Peter right in his face with a stupid grin on his face. 

“Truth or dare, Peter?” Beck’s face began to twist unnaturally. The corners of his lips climbed higher and higher and he began to approach Peter. “Truth or dare?” Beck toward over him. Peter turned to run but as he turned around all his friends’ faces had begun to do the same. “Truth or dare?” they echoed towering over him. 

The teenager began to rock himself. Nonononono. This can’t be real. It’s not real. it’s not real. Focus Peter! This is just Beck, your former supposed-to-be-friend pulling a nasty trick on you. It’s just drones. They can’t hurt you. Except they can. They can hurt you and they will if you won’t stop them. 

“Peter!” there was a sound far away.

He could feel one of those things grabbed his forehead, maybe it was committing the finishing blow. 

“Peter, wake up. Please, buddy. Wake up for me. You’re having a nightmare. You’re in the new Avengers Facility. You’re safe.”

Peter couldn’t breathe. The creature had not proceeded to put its hands on Peter’s neck and it seemed determined to finish what it had started. 

Peter could feel himself slipping away. It was the same feeling he had when the blip happened. When he had selfishly begged Mr. Stark to save him. 

He was fading. Using whatever last strength he had, he put his own hands on the creature's neck and squeezed as his life depended on it. It quite possibly did.

He was winning. The creature was losing strength. One by one the creature's fingers lost their strength, the creature’s face turning ashen blue. 

Peter didn’t dream after that anymore. There was just darkness. It was comforting funnily. Peter had often found himself obsessing over possible futures: the what-ifs of life. What if MJ secretly hated him? What if he would somehow lose tony? He seemed so adamant on losing everyone else in his life. His parents, Uncle Ben. It was just so hard not to worry. 

Peter stared into the darkness his eyes wide, waiting for something, anything. After a while, he gave up. After looking at death so many times in the face, the idea of fighting crime didn’t seem so scary anymore. He was doomed to fail. Maybe that’s why he took up fighting crime in the first place. Staring death in the face had begun to be less painful than trying to guess when the next horrible event was going to unfold.

Something weird was happening with his head. It felt like someone was stabbing his brains. Although, technically if someone stabbed your brains you wouldn’t be able to feel it. For one because your brain doesn’t have pain sensors. For two you would be too dead to know about it. He was going to need to find another metaphor. 

Maybe if he took a little peek he’d know what it was. But to do that he’d have to open his eyes, which sounded exhausting. So, which one was it going to be? Peter pondered over his options for…much longer then he should have really. The pain was slowly creeping along his head to his neck and shoulders. It was like some sick game of head, shoulders, knees and toes. Focus Peter, he told himself and mentally slapped himself. Ouch. Where was he again? Right, the pain. Note to oneself: hitting yourself to distract from pain is not a bright idea.

Peter forced one of his eyelids to at least try to open. Next to him on the bed laid a dark figure. Il looked like a grown-up but it was too dark to tell. Peter being Peter poked the figure on what he figured was his shoulder. Nothing happened. Peter did it again a little harder. 

“Ow!” That’s a nice way to wake up someone said a voice that sounded like Mr. Stark's.

“How are you feeling kid?” Tony turned around to face Peter. He had a concerned look on his face. Like he knew about Peters nightmare.  
“What. What are you doing in my bed Mr.Stark?” 

“Your bed?” Tony raised his eyebrows.

One side of Peter’s mouth lifted and he cracked an expecting smile. “Yeah, Where else would I be?”

“You tell me. F.R.I.D.A.Y, lights please.”

Peter lifted his head and looked around properly. The room wasn’t as massive as some of the living rooms in the facility but it had no problem trumping his own in size. On the nightstand were pictures of Pepper, Peter, Morgan and Tony smiling. On the walls were paintings of old musicians and other older paintings Peter was familiar with thanks to decathlon practice.  
He was in Tony’s bedroom.

“Mr…Mr.Stark. What am I doing in your bedroom? 

“Peter, would you sit up straight, please?” Said Tony in a somewhat gruff voice. He cleared his throat.

When Tony sat up and tilted his head Peter noticed something. Tony had there dark yellow-ish patches on his throat and parts of his face. It wasn’t obvious to the naked eye but when Peter first took note of then it was hard to not see them. “Mr. Stark are you alright?” Peter wanted to touch him but when he tried to reach out Tony flinched and backed away from him. 

“Peter, listen. Kiddo.” Tony sighed. “I don’t know how to say this. God. Kid. We need to talk.” “You’re not coping well with the whole Mysterio ordeal and things kind of got out of hand.” Tony held strong eye contact with him refusing the instinctive urge to look away. Not that it was any easier for Peter. Looking at those wounded huge brown eyes filled with so much emotion. “Look. Sometimes life isn’t fair. Sometimes it knocks you down and makes it’s damn hardest to keep you there. You hade a little accident tonight that I imagine neither of us wants to repeat.” 

Tony thinks back to how his father would have dealt with the situation. Not that he had a lot of material from where to pull from. Father-son moments were… let’s say luxury in his house hall and usually ended in him first trying not to cry and then always, always failing. Thinking back to his father's ways was usually useful. Just do the exact opposite. The problem was that there was no way he could handle this without Peter crying or getting scared. Well, at least he could be honest. They were going to get through this, together. Even if it killed him.

“You noticed didn’t you. God. You’re such a smart kid. Of course, you would. Listen. It began when I got an alert from F.R.I.D.A.Y that you were in distress. Naturally, I went to look at you. So there you were flailing all over the place, soaked with sweat. I tried to call you and even shake your shoulder but I guess you thought I was attacking you or something. And…” 

Tony let out a deep breath. Don’t think of Afghanistan, don’t think of Afghanistan. Don’t think about not being able to breathe. Please don’t. Maybe another breath was necessary. In and out. In and out that’s it. You’re doing so well.

Tony unconsciously rubbed his sore throat wincing a little. 

“And then you made it a little hard for me to breathe for a while.” Tony looked at Peters reaction. The boy’s lips were trembling and it looked like he was about to say something but nothing came out.

“F.R.D.A.Y called for one of my suits to take you off me. You wouldn’t budge so she ordered it to knock you out cold.” Tony gave Peter a sad smile. “That’s when I carried you to my room.” The man pinched the brink of his nose. “Heh, I don’t even know why I did that. Maybe I wanted to make sure you kept breathing. Maybe I just had a small stroke. You tend to cause those for me.” Tony joked. Peter didn’t smile. 

All Peter did was stare at his hands. The hands that nearly killed his mentor.

Tony wasn’t sure which one he preferred: Peter with no emotion or a highly emotional Peter. 

Tony blinked and Peter was already halfway through the room. “Pet…”

Peter opened the window and jumped. “Peter!” 

Peter slid through the peculiar shapes of the building's roof. He didn’t even hear his mentors screams. All he knew at that moment was the pouring rain on his face and the wind whispering to him. 

Promising him freedom. I almost killed Tony. I’m the real monster.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony felt his heart jump to his throat. Without even realizing it, he had already run to the window. Peter was skilfully sliding through the shapely rooftops. “Peter, come back! Please!” 

Tony sighed and closed his eyes. He lowered himself with his back facing the wall. 

Exactly like Howard. A delirious laugh escaped his mouth. I wanted to be better. I wanted him to be better. And now look what I’ve done. Just like Howard. Tony’s nose instinctively scrunched up at the thought. No. I AM going to be better. Tony ran to his workshop looking for his future gift for Peter. E.D.I.T.H. 

Where are you? “Where are you bunny?” That’s a weird endearment. Where did I learn that from?

Bolts, screws, welding machines, graphs, gifts everywhere. Where did he put E.D.I.T.H? 

He was just scrambling. Deep breaths, honey. He heard Pepper’s voice in his head. 

Pepper! That’s right. She’d know what to do. Tony dialed her number.

Tony: Hi. Sweetheart. You busy?

Pepper: Always. Do you have any idea what time it is?

Tony: I messed up. Heh. Big surprise there. Long story short: Peter had a bad dream, a tried to wake him, he hurt me in his sleep and ran away after I told him about it.

Pepper: Oh. Tony. 

Pepper: Let’s first calm down. Imagine it like attending a business meeting. Let’s start from the beginning. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that you have by this point pissed off one of the  
major players. Someone that you want to like you. What’s the first step? 

Tony: The first step in any negotiation is to assume you don’t need anything from the other person. People don’t make deals with reason, they do it with emotion. It gives you an emotional advantage.

Pepper: …

Tony: the first step is to apologize for what you did and then get to a mutually beneficial agreement. In this case, it would be me not getting strangled again and Peter learning to cope with his traumas. Wow, I can’t believe I just said that. A mature Tony Stark. Who figured.

Pepper: and the first step to make that happen would be…

Tony: Let’s see. He should talk about his problems. I could get him a therapist. No, not personal enough. I could get Banner to talk to him, but he might fall asleep again. Could I do it? I can do anything I’m Ironman. Thank you, honey. 

Tony closed the phone. 

“J.A.R.V.I.S!”

“I’m sorry sir but J.A.R.V.I.S. is unavailable,” F.R.I.D.A.Y said.

Tony felt like he had walked into a wall. Of course, J.A.R.V.I.S. wasn’t there. It was getting hard to form proper sentences. He hated that feeling. Maybe a little extra sleep would help. Later. He was fine. Always.

“Sir, you left E.D.I.T.H. at the kitchen table.” 

“Thanks, Fri! Could you get her to watch Peter for me? I have plans to make.”

“Of course, sir.”  


Meanwhile. 

Peter wasn’t the only one who had had a nightmare that night. 

Bucky had woken up at about two hours earlier but decided to stay in bed for one of those hours. What was the point anyway? He was just going to see more horrors. He was going to see himself fighting Steve, his friend, on the falling Helicarrier. Maybe fighting was exaggerating a little. Beating him to death was a way more accurate description. 

Bucky decided to take a walk. Maybe he could clear his head. Steve takes a morning run every day. What a dummy. Why on earth would anyone willingly expose themselves that kind of treatment? 

But then again, he was talking about the same person who broke into a HYDRA base by himself. 

Bucky head a sound. He looked around but saw nothing. It was like someone was banking against metal. He could say he enjoyed the noise. His superiors used to bang the metallic door to tell him to  
get prepared. But he had learned not to be afraid of random noises. Thank God for Shuri.

It didn’t take him long to identify the source of the noise. It was coming for above him. What if it was HYDRA? Could he take him? He was likely surrounded. The best course of action for him to take would be to calmly walk back to the facility and ask F.R.D.A.Y. 

But what if it was nothing. Bucky’s trail of thought was interrupted when the person jumped and landed to the ground. He knew him. It’s the Stark kid, running like he was on fire for some reason. 

Bucky visibly slumped. At least it wasn’t HYDRA. He could deal with this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. I'm going to stop writing the story. I've started writing another one. One of those Peter takes a field trip to SI ones. It's a lot more positive.


End file.
